The present invention relates generally to the field of portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to a wireless communication devices having a unique form factor to facilitate its portability and maximize its functionality.
Portable electronic devices have many functions and come in a variety of different form factors. To increase their appeal, manufacturers of such devices focus on minimizing their form factor and while maximizing their functions. The flip-type device has a collapsible form factor that is particularly popular among manufacturers of wireless communication devices, such as radiotelephones, paging devices, personal digital assistant and the combination of these devices. The flip-type device includes two sections connected by a hinge that flip open for general operation of the device and flip closed for convenient transport of the device. Many wireless communication devices having the collapsible form factor provide a display an inner surface of the device so that it is exposed when the device is open and hidden when the device is closed.
Several wireless communication devices provide a viewable display when the devices are closed. As a result, a user may receive useful information, such as caller ID and time/date information, provided on the viewable display while the device is closed. One common type of wireless communication device provides a second display on the outer surface of the device. Another known type of wireless communication device provides an opening through one of the sections of the flip phone so that display on the inner surface of the device is exposed through the opening when the device is closed. Specifically, a first section of the device includes a display, and a second section of the device has two arms that attach to the first section with a large opening therebetween. Unfortunately, the arms of the open section tend to be unstable and fragile since the large opening between the two arms do not provide much support. Also, for both types of devices, the display is not conveniently viewable by the user when the device is transitioning from the closed position to the opened position and vice-versa.
Another type of wireless communication device with a collapsible form factor has two sections with inner surfaces that slide past each other to rotate open and slide together to rotate closed. For this configuration, the display is located on an outer surface of one section and is viewable by the user in both the opened and closed positions of the device. Unfortunately, if the display is considered to be right side up when the device is opened, the display is upside down when the device is closed due to the rotation of its corresponding section. Therefore, existing rotatable phones do not have conveniently viewable displays for both opened and closed positions.
There is a need for a wireless communication device with a collapsible form factor having a conveniently viewable display when the device is opened as well as closed. Also, the display should be conveniently viewable while the device is transitioning between the opened and closed positions. In addition, the desired device should not compromise the stability and rigidity of the device in the opened and closed positions. The functionality of the desired device should be maximized, and it is further desirable to have a viewable display configuration that provides increased functionality to the device.